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Protests against Andhra Pradesh bifurcation enter 7th day

Seemandhra people along with their kids holding a protest in Hyderabad on Monday against the bifurcation of the AP state for creation of separate Telangana state - PTI

Hyderabad:Anti-Telangana protests continued in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions of Andhra Pradesh for the seventh consecutive day on Tuesday even as mild tension prevailed at two government offices here over the separate Telangana statehood issue.

Supporters of 'united' Andhra Pradesh, including students and members of different organisations took to the streets, continuing with protests, rallies as well as road blockades, besides organising other agitations in 'Seemandhra' (comprising both Rayalaseema as well as non-Telangana) districts and Hyderabad.

"Protests, rallies as well as demonstrations are on, but the situation is under control and peaceful," IGP (Law and Order) Harish Kumar Gupta told PTI.

Timely intervention by the police prevented a possible clash between employees from Seemandhra region and employees from Telangana region at Jala Soudha and Vidyuth Soudha here. Mild tension prevailed at Jala Soudha in Erramanzil area when Seemandhra region employees held a protest for a "united" Andhra Pradesh, even as pro-Telangana employees began a counter protest.

Both sides raised slogans in favour and against the move to create a Telangana state and were seen jostling each other after heated arguments.

However, the police immediately intervened and dispersed both groups who almost came to blows, without having to take anybody into custody, a police officer said.

Similarly, the police immediately intervened and managed to bring the situation under control when pro-Telangana employees raised slogans after a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader P. Keshav reached the Vidyuth Soudha to express his solidarity with pro-Seemandhra employees who were staging their own anti-Telangana protest.

Pro-Seemandhra employees boycotted duties and held demonstration at the Andhra Pradesh state secretariat premises here to protest against the decision to create a separate Telangana state. Under the aegis of the AP Secretariat Seemandhra Employees' Forum, they raised slogans like "Hyderabad belongs to all" and "We want justice".

Educational institutions remained closed in most parts of the Seemandhra region while business establishments and shops also downed their shutters at some places in support of a "united" Andhra Pradesh.

In Anantapur, agitators stopped a passenger train at the railway station there. Supporters of united Andhra Pradesh held a bike rally in Anantapur town and also staged demonstrations in towns like Dharmavaram and Penukonda.

Advocates cooked food on the roads, blocking vehicles in front of the court in the city.

"Protests continued today as well, though in a peaceful manner. Nobody has been taken into custody," Anantapur Superintendent of Police S. Shyam Sunder told PTI.

In Kurnool and Nellore districts, anti-Telangana protesters cooked food on roads, besides organising massive rallies and blocking roads. Members of the AP Non-Gazetted Officers' Association and students held a protest near the residence of union minister Panabaka Lakshmi and BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu in Nellore, against the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

A large number of students squatted on roads and formed human chains in Ongole city of Prakasam district, even as united Andhra Pradesh supporters burnt effigies of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) Chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao alias KCR, in Srikakulam district.

Protesters danced on roads in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts raising slogans like, "KCR down down". A massive rally involving heavy vehicles, tractors and autorickshaws was held in Chittoor district, while protesters burnt tyres on the roads.

In Rayachoti, Rajampet and Produttoor towns of Kadapa district, protesters, including hundreds of women, held rallies in support of their demands, besides cooking food on roads. Similar protests were also held in Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari and West Godavari districts.

Meanwhile, supporters of the united Andhra Pradesh allegedly damaged window panes of two buses of the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) in Chittoor district even as the Corporation managed to operate only 63.11 per cent of its total services in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions, officials said.

Out of the daily scheduled 11,445 services being operated in the districts of Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra Pradesh, the APSRTC operated 7,223 services. The APSRTC has been making a loss of Rs 3.5 crore per day, due to the ongoing agitation, they said.

In East Godavari district, processions, effigy burning and rasta roko by pro-united Andhra Pradesh supporters marked the agitation against the state's division. People from various walks of life, including lawyers, municipal employees, doctors, students and commercial establishment workers participated in the stir.

Educational, commercial and financial establishments, including banks ATMs, remained closed in the coastal Andhra district for the seventh day. The protesters, including women, raised slogans like 'United Andhra Pradesh zindabad,' and 'Hyderabad belongs to all'.

Police made elaborate security arrangements at the residences of MPs and MLAs. "The protests were peaceful," a police official said. Meanwhile, the East and West Godavari Lawyers Joint Action Committee (JAC) today demanded arrest of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao for his alleged remarks against employees of the non-Telangana regions working in Hyderabad.

Kadapa district saw rallies, dharnas and relay fasts over the bifurcation issue. The agitators shouted slogans against Rao and also Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Even school going children took part in the protests. Teachers and businesspersons, among others, took out rallies.

A large number of women took out morcha at Rayachoty, Kadapa city, Proddatur, Badvel and Rajampeta areas. Employees of various departments like electricity and NGOs hit the roads and staged dharnas. Small vendors, book sellers, auto drivers, lorry drivers and artisans organised various protest programmes.

Pro-AP supporters assembled near the houses of State Minister C Ramachandraiah and Vijayamma, Pulivendula MLA and YSR Congress Honorary President, and sought their resignation. Municipal employees in the district are boycotting work for the last three days.

4 years after the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram announced the process of formation of Telangana on December 9, 2009, Congress and the UPA coalition on July 30, 2013 unanimously endorsed creation of a separate state out of Andhra Pradesh. The state witnessed intense pro-T protests in the recent years which turned into celebrations after the final nod.

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On March 10, 2011, Hyderabad saw the biggest protest till then - Million March - called by pro-Telangana groups and supported by political parties. Thousands of protesters demolished barricades raised by cops to reach the Tank Bund, where the rally turned violent resulting in clashes and arrests. Vehicles were set on fire, statues of prominent leaders were vandalised.

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Another Million March took place in 2012. This time, violating prohibitory orders, the Telangana supporters headed towards the Necklace Road at Hussain Sagar lake, the venue of the event in Hyderabad, and clashed with security personnel on their way.

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When the protesters were stopped from passing by the Secretariat road and some other areas where prohibitory orders were in place, the protesters pelted stones and tried to remove the barricades which prompted the security personnel to lob tear gas shells after trying to chase them away.

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Violence erupted on the Osmania University campus on the same day after pro-Telangana students clashed with police when they were prevented from taking out a rally to join the Telangana March. Picture shows police chasing away students.

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Osmania University in Hyderabad was on boil for most of the time, thanks to the clashes between pro-Telangana protesters and the police. Picture shows police clashing with members of the Telangana Students Joint Action Committe (TSJAC) as they prevent the students from marching during the Million March of 2012.

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Police lobbed tear gas shells at the agitators to disperse them, but the protesters hit the cops back with stones and whatever they could lay their lands on.

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Police use tear gas on Osmania University students during the Telangana Million March in Hyderabad.

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Policemen walk near burning vehicles set on fire during Telangana march in Hyderabad, on September 30, 2012, the day of the Million March.

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Protests failed to cease and Osmania University became focus of several pro-Telangana agitations. Hardly a march passed without incidents of violence in the campus. Photo taken in December 2012, shows police detaining a protester during clashes in front of the varsity.

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Policemen chase protesters after they hurled stones at them during a protest demanding the creation of a new state named Telangana in Hyderabad.

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Protesters set an effigy representing UPA government after the all-party meet failed to yield any fruits.

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After an All-party meet on Telangana ended inconclusively in New Delhi in December, 2012, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) activists took it to the streets of Hyderabad protesting.

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This combo picture shows police firing tear gas and pro-Telangana students pelting stones back at them during a clash.

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Novel modes of protests had their share too. Here, pro-Telangana protesters demonstrate an agitation by representing 1,000 dead bodies in memory of suicides for the separate state at Mint Compound in Hyderabad.

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Folk artistes dressed as politicians, movie stars participate in a protest against the demand for separate Telangana statehood near Siripuram in Visakhapatnam.

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Students serve food as part of a mock funeral to protest against the Congress delaying the decision on Telangana early in 2013.

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Police detain an Osmania University student during a pro-Telangana protest.

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Then came the Sadak Bandh early in 2013. Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Telangana Joint Action Committee (T-JAC) activists participate in a 'sadak bandh' (road blockade) on National Highway-7 to demand the separate state of Telangana at the outskirts of Hyderabad.

An activist from the Telangana Joint Action Committee(TJAC) is arrested by police during a protest demanding a separate state of Telangana in Hyderabad. About 700 people, including MLAs and MLCs, were arrested as part of the Sadak Bandh agitation held. However, police claimed that no cases have been registered against the arrested leaders and activists.

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TRS activists having meal while staging a road blockade to press for separate Telangana state, near Hyderabad.

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K. Kavitha (in green sari), daughter of TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao, also took part in the agitation. Here she is seen having lunch, made on the highway.

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Kavita was detained along with other protesters.

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A woman activist in a scuffle with police women as they forcefully detain her.

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A lone activist stages a sit-in on the middle of the road during Sadak Bandh as policemen look on.

The pro-Telangana groups recently, in June, gave the call for 'Chalo Assembly' march. Police denied permission to the rally and imposed Section 144 in Hyderabad and Cyberabad limits, besides setting up 58 check posts in Cyberabad and 17 in Hyderabad limits to stop the activists.

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The Andhra Pradesh capital was turned into a fortress on that day with 10,000 policemen from the state and 2000 Central paramilitary force personnel deployed in view of the 'Chalo Assembly' protest called by pro-Telangana parties that began in the morning.

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Protesters being chased away by police during Chalo Assembly rally. The protesters including leaders were detained before they could reach Indira Park from where the rally to the Assembly was to start.

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In high drama, two MLAs belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti - K. Sammaiah and D. Vinay Bhaskar - climbed the Legislature Party building in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly premises and threatened to jump off if Telangana state was not created immediately. Assembly marshals brought the two MLAs down after an hour.

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Police man keeping close watch of roads near Legislative Assembly on the day of Chalo Assembly march. Announcing the prohibitory orders, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said even pedestrians would not be allowed to move on the flyovers.

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Police take cover from protesters who are climbing up the barricades raised by police officials in front of Osmania University. Protesting students pelted stones on policemen after being prevented from taking out a bike-rally in support of the 'Chalo Assembly' rally.

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Student protesters burn a poster of CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in Osmania University campus during a pro-Telangana protest in Hyderabad.

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Students, wielding staffs and with stones in hands, are the frontrunners of demonstrations for Samaikhyandhra and Telangana clashing with police, getting arrested.

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Masks came out too in support of Telangana. A masked protester pelts stones at policemen in Osmania University campus.

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Students aiming at police with stones in the campus.

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Pro-Telangana students clashed with police on the Osmania University campus for the second consecutive day, demanding that they be allowed to take out a rally (Chalo Assembly) towards the State Assembly.

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Pro-Telangana students, amid teargas lobbed by the police, during a protest on Osmania University campus in Hyderabad.

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TRS MP Vijayashanti shouts slogans when she is detained by police during Chalo Assembly march.

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Police also raided TRS activists' houses taking many into preventive custody. All the arrested were let off later, police said.

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Pro-Telangana students pull down a barricade as a protest turns violent.

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A young boy, who is obviously not an Osmania University student, was picked up by police for pelting stones at the police during clashes.

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These protesters were seen near the Prime Minister's official residence in Delhi, where the Congress top brass held a meeting to decide on the statehood issue recently. Anyhow, now the protests are taken out by people who support United Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana activists are now busy celebrating.

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Comments

6

by Wrong calculation (not verified) on Tue, 2013-08-06 17:59

Cong I will lose 25 lok sabha seats and may be win 10 seats in telangana.
I wonder what they were thinking. seemandhra will suffer heavily due to lack of strong leadership
and the setback although it is a great opportunity to build a new capital and improve the conditions
in the seemandhra districts. But who has the interests of common man in their minds? it's ironical that
hundreds of villages are submerged in flood waters and no one is showing an ounce of sympathy or acting to help the people there. people as well as politicians are asking for Samykhyandhra ...while ignoring the issues at hand and the opportunity to be independent.

Congress expects YSRCongres to win in Seemandhra. Then, they will release Jagan, drop all cases on him in exchange for merger or support in the parliament. This way they get most of the seats from Telangana as well as Semmandhra.

The development of the State is getting crushed between Telengana and Andhra. To speak impartially, sources of employment in Andhra area is very less but in Telengana Area it is more. But in Telengana Area most of the high positions are occupied the people from Andhra. Main reasons for this is that Telengana area was ruled by Nizam Government and they concentrated on earning only and bnot on education. whereas Andhra Area was under the control of Britishers and hence more importance was given to education. Unfortunately, even after the Nizam area brought under Indian Union the State Government never bothered to develop education in Telengana and hence most of the Government jobs were grabbed by the people from Andhra area only. We must also say that as for as common man is concerned unemployed wants only employment whether it is Telengana or Andhra and hence we can not find fauly with Andhra migrators also. Because of the wrong policies of Government all these things are taking place, Probably, apart from Hindi speaking states AP is the only state which is going to get divided in to two though the language is one. One thing is sure. AP's development will drastically get adversely affected.

Hi, I am really surprised and be proud that all are united to be united with great will power and proof of valid reasons....
but the smart govt stopped nation tv channels to display our protest(s) of samaikya andhra...
plz concentrate to the matter
if we want to make the news to be known to the world then we have to make know to nation first...
I am not asking for inconvenience of the people but... our protest need international awareness... Thanking you